Q. I am a recent college graduate who studied public relations, and I am struggling to find a job in my field. Every time I go on an interview, I'm told I don't have enough experience. No matter what I do to try and give myself an advantage I still keep coming up short. Should I just take a job and "settle" or should I keep on looking to land a "perfect" job?

— Discouraged in Delray Beach, Fla.

A. It's all about the learning curve. Employers typically don't have the time and surplus of labor it takes to train a new hire in a specialized industry such as PR.

That said, there are companies that hire inexperienced recent college grads, but your degree alone won't land you the job. You'll need a polished appearance and diction, a thorough knowledge of the company with which you are interviewing (including its clients) and the ability to speak intelligently on the industry. Invest in subscriptions to trade pubs such as PR Week and O'Dwyer's. And read the newspaper daily.

If you do your homework and focus on your goal, you'll never have to settle, period.

DIVA'S MAILBAG

Q. I love your column, but enough already with the poop questions! There's a product that allows you to place one or two drops of a liquid into the toilet bowl before you do your business. It eliminates odors and it works. There are two Web sites that seem to offer the same thing — www.mybathroomninja.com and www.justadrop.net.

So enough, already!

—Jean

A. We just love an educated reader, and thank you for sharing your odor-neutralizing potty tip. After checking out both sites, we'd recommend Just a Drop, which is made from highly concentrated plant extracts and claims to be environmentally friendly. At just $16.99 for two purse- or pocket-size bottles, it's a small price to pay for peace of mind and clean air.

The Advice Diva welcomes your questions on relationships, family matters and modern etiquette — particularly the more amusing ones. Send questions to advicediva@herald.com or The Advice Diva, Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, 5th floor, Miami, FL 33132.